Tuperssuatsiaite

specimen number:
2133225

location:
Aris Quarry, Windhoek, Namibia

description:
Sprays of brown acicular crystals to 0.3 cm in size across an open pocket. In good condition and quite nice for the species.

The Aris Quarries, located approximately 25 kilometers south of Windhoek in central Namibia, are world-renowned for their unique alkaline mineralogy. Geologically, the site consists of two phonolite quarries, the Aris and the Railway, which are part of a series of Cenozoic-aged volcanic plugs that intruded through the surrounding schist. The phonolite rock contains numerous miarolitic cavities filled with rare minerals that crystallized from late-stage magmatic fluids. One of the most sought-after species from this locality is tuperssuatsiaite, a rare hydrated sodium, iron, and manganese silicate. It typically occurs as beautiful, radiating sprays of acicular, needle-like crystals with a distinct reddish-brown to golden-brown color and a silky, vitreous luster. Historically, these quarries have been operated since the mid-20th century primarily for the production of road phonolite and railway ballast. However, the consistent discovery of rare zeolites and silicates like tuperssuatsiaite has made Aris a premier destination for systematic mineral collectors and researchers focused on peralkaline geological environments.

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